


Three By Three

by Aggression



Category: Pacific Rim (2013), Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Crossover, Multi, Polyamory, Post-Movie(s), Post-Series
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-09
Updated: 2014-11-17
Packaged: 2018-02-08 03:18:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1924713
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aggression/pseuds/Aggression
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Kaiju War is over, and the world can rest. But a battle won does not mean a war won. There's always the chance that another rift could be opened, and the war restarted. Humanity's looking to be prepared for the next time that happens. There's a Jaeger program to rebuild.</p><p>After being forced together ahead of schedule with the landing of Trespasser at San Francisco, somehow the Greek and Roman demigods had managed not to kill each other. Now, the demigods of Olympus had hoped to take a break after the back to back Titan and Giant Wars. They didn't even have to worry about Kaijus anymore. That is, until they become involved with the world's new contingency plan. </p><p>Break's over. The only person who's somewhat happy with this is Leo because he gets a giant new metal toy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, it's been a couple years since I've posted fic but let's go. I've tried my best to catch my mistakes, but this is un-beta'd, so if you see any please don't be afraid to inform me! Commentary and feedback would be greatly appreciated, since I've been out of the game for awhile, and just need the growth anyways. 
> 
> Also, heads up, Nico's not in this right off the bat. The plot's designed to pull him in later, though I'm not exactly sure how long you'll have to wait yet. To be honest, this fic partly came to life as a way to calm me down since I've just graduated and have no idea where I'm going with life at the moment, so I'm still collecting ideas and working everything out. Shipping will also gain prevalence over time, but this fic is more than about just that. 
> 
> Also, my core Pacific Rim knowledge comes from the movie, since I don't own Tales From Year Zero or the novelization yet. I am referencing the wiki but if there's anything you notice that is grossly wrong feel free to bring it to my attention.

A red-head made her way down the street. Now more than ever, New York City was bursting with people, as the east coast had swelled after the first Kaiju attacks. As people fled their homes on the west coast, they sought to rebuild their lives. Some couldn't leave the ocean though, and tried to find  the place most similar to their old home along the eastern shore. 

Camp Half-Blood had grown too, though that was a change she couldn’t comment on. Most of the Romans had made it out made it out of Camp Jupiter after Trespasser landed. Some had stayed behind, or left to find loved ones in nearby cities. Some had been away from the camp on business and quests. Most of those never made it back.

Now they all resided in Camp Half-Blood, or had founds homes within the city. The cabin rules had been changed to allow demigods to stay in cabins not belonging to their parents, since some cabins like Hermes had ended up overflowing, and of course others like Zeus’ remained fairly empty. Even Hera had opened her cabin for residency. The cabins still remained full and confused to this day. The living situation had eased somewhat, though, when Percy asked for the rights of minor gods to their own cabins.  

For Rachel though, the overflowing camp was the only Camp Half-Blood she had ever known. While the world fought the Kaiju War, the Greeks and Romans had fought their own. From what she had heard, it had at first been touch and go at the camp. The Greeks and Romans had never gotten along before, but they remained  somewhat civilized when dealing with the circumstances. It wasn’t until the Titan War, and then especially the Giant War that they came together. They had heroes like those of the Prophecy of Seven to thank for that.

In a way, life was weird now. The Kaiju War was finally over, so the world could set out to rebuilding. Gaea had been defeated, and the demigods had the chance to take a well deserved rest.

For the moment at least. Rachel’s eyebrows crinkled in worry. She had a feeling. She had no prophecies to give- hadn’t had one to give in awhile. That didn’t relax her though.

“Rachel.”

The girl paused, looking up to the man who had come to stand beside her. Really, to passersby they appeared around the same age, two teenagers slouching in hoodies and jeans. Even with the relaxed apparel there was still something utterly eye catching about him. He had a megawatt smile, and tousled, sandy hair that seemed to fall in just the right way. The weather may have been cloudy, but he still managed to have a natural glow to his skin. Many of the people walking by, both men and women, stared at him for a couple seconds before moving on.

His looks didn’t mean anything to Rachel though. She was used to seeing them, and had a resistance to the “charm” had that seemed to affect a good number of people when he was around.

He smiled at her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. “Let me buy you a coffee. Olympus is a little stuffy right now, and I’m guessing you were coming to see me anyways?”

Rachel snorted as they walked into a small coffee shop, a bell chiming their entrance. “Like you need to guess Apollo. It’s not like I prayed to you to let you know I was on my way anyways.”

“Oh Rachel dear. You need to let me keep my mystique going! It’s a staple of mine that I need to work on. I’ve been focusing so much on my haikus lately I’ve let that fall to the wayside.”

They sat and a waitress came up to their table. Apollo quickly ordered for them both, flashing the girl a smile as she went to ready their order. Rachel leaned forward onto the table. “Apollo, is it really the time to be worrying about that?”

The god turned to her, his face suddenly becoming serious. “It’s not a prophecy yet; you and I both know it’s just a gut feeling” There was a pause.

“Is it going to become a prophecy?” Rachel Elizabeth Dare stared up at her patron, worry evident on her face. The premonition she had was similar to ones she had had before. Those feelings had always come before a Kaiju attack, and had grown stronger and more accurate the longer the Kaiju War had gone on. Apollo had guessed that the Fates were more able to predict the Kaiju attacks as the Fates learned more about them with each visit they paid to their world.

Rachel didn’t know how the Fates could learn about something by it just existing, but really, you just don’t question the Fates.

Their coffees arrived, and Apollo didn’t say anything as he sipped from it. They sat in a silence that Rachel didn’t dare break. Apollo watched mortals through the window, and the sunlight outside grew stronger.

“I’m not sure.” There was steel in his eyes as he spoke to her, and Rachel knew that was something she couldn’t repeat to anyone. “But this time the threat isn’t imminent. It’s to give us a chance to prepare.”

“How are we going to do that?”

Apollo smiled at her, reaching over and ruffling her hair before standing up. “ _You_ are still going to enjoy your break. You deserve a rest, little Oracle. You all do. Me, I’m going to call a meeting. Might take some convincing, but I’ll get everyone together.” He downed his coffee, and set enough American money on the table to cover the cost and a tip for the waitress.  “Humanity can learn to have some foresight at times. They’re rebuilding the Jaeger program you know.”

Rachel watched the god as he walked out of the coffee shop. She did not want to know what he meant by that, because if she could fathom a guess, it meant there was going to be a large amount of annoyed demigods back at camp soon.

For now though, she was just going to sit here and enjoy the rest of her coffee.    

 

*******

 

Hercules Hansen stared at the papers before him. Promoted to Marshall, he now had the responsibility of finding and recruiting new pilots for the Jaeger program. The breach may have collapsed, but the whole world worried about the chance of it opening once again. 

Herc himself was someone whom believed it inevitable. Those aliens would have have seen how they had been on their last legs from within Newt’s mind. They had won through will and desperation, but that would only take them so far. At this point a single kaiju would devastate for miles wherever it landed, with there being no Jaegers actually battle ready at the moment. Gipsy Danger was being rebuilt, but even she wouldn’t see the field for awhile.

So here he sat, Mako Mori and Raleigh Becket on his right, Tendo Choi on his left- experienced personnel who would rebuild the program with him. A stack of files sat in front of them to sort through, candidates from all over the world with the hopes of their countries riding on their shoulders.  Since they needed an influx of new rangers, the governments of the world had been told to select top candidate pairs based on a set of standard criteria to be reviewed.

They began their work, splitting up the files amongst themselves. The room was silent as they flipped through the files, until Mako broke it.

“Catherine and Riley LaFontaine, a pair of sisters from Canada. They’re 18 and 17 respectively and both still in high school. They’re athletes from a smaller school, so instead of specializing into one sport they play a variety all year round; they should have a wide range of athletic abilities.” She continued to skim through the file. “They have already passed a couple tests for drift compatibility.”

Herc took the file from her to glance in it himself. “Not a bad age to join the corps. God be good they won’t be seeing action _ever_ , but even then they should have time to mature.” He passed the file to Raleigh. “They’ve seen minimal fight training so far, but the file says they have shown a willingness to learn. We should also see to it that they can complete their high school education.”

Raleigh whistled. “They’re frickin’ honour students too?” That was something Raleigh could respect. He himself hadn't completed high school; it’d be good if they could still get the girls their diplomas. “Five bucks says they’ll pick up fighting just fine then.”

Tendo waited to receive the file from Raleigh, his laptop open in front of him. “Do you want me to mark them to come in for training then sir?”

“Yeah, keep track of who we’re bringing in to the academy, any side notes we feel the need to make, and anyone we deem unacceptable based on these files.”

Raleigh opened his next file, “So really, just try to find anyone we know for sure we won’t be taking right now?”

“Yeah. We can’t afford to be too picky at the moment.”

Silence once again took over the room. They began to weed out candidates, a lot rejected based on their histories because of issues such as past drug use, or fairly major trouble with the law or their own respective military institution. Some were rejected simply based on their credentials. The Kaiju threat had become a more worldly problem near the end of the war, since it became evident that their defences were losing effectiveness. More countries were throwing in their lot now, but sometimes that was just a ploy to gain political favour. There was an obviousness to some candidates that were proposed to simply to be rejected.

As far as Herc was concerned, that kind of politicking bullshit had no place when it came to world defence, but no matter what it was something they were going to have to deal with. Really, they had been dealing with it for a long time.

He still kept finding new reasons to respect Stacker Pentecost every day.

A large amount of time and coffee (or in Mako’s case tea) later they were able to call the job done. They gathered up the files as Tendo finalized their lists and notes. As they restacked everything, they found one file different from all the rest, one that had somehow remained unnoticed until now.

“It’s gold?” Raleigh picked it up, staring incredulously at the shiny cover. There was no title or identification, just a relief of a skyscraper, which he realized was the Empire State Building after a moment, and some symbol underneath.

Mako had already stood from her chair, and now spoke quietly from behind Raleigh. “That’s a caduceus. Is it a medical file?”

Herc motioned for the file. “All medical records should have been in the candidate files.” He inspected the cover carefully, wary because of its unknown origins. It had been a long day though, and lately Herc hadn’t been one with too much patience, so he decided to chance it and opened the file.

None of them could have predicted its contents.

 

 


	2. Chapter 1

Mako Mori looked up at the building before her. The Jaeger Academy stretched up out of the forest that surrounded it, lights shining through the windows on a couple floors. They had been here for about a month, preparing the building to once again receive students. The group would be arriving at any moment and she was waiting to escort them inside and introduce them to the building. It was reminiscent of when she met Raleigh at the Hong Kong Shatterdome, but it wasn’t a job she minded. She was going to be working with the recruits anyways; it was a good introduction.

The first group would arrive today, their other candidates… they would come at another date. Mako was amazed, it had taken only underneath a month for the second group to be approved not only by the Pan Pacific Defence Corps, but also by the United Nations. A few of their… benefactors had made an appearance, and it seemed there was no questioning after that. Those of the Jaeger program had to simply go along with the decision.

Many in the program were uneasy about the situation (and that may have been putting it lightly), especially after the secrecy wavers they had to sign. Eventually, they would be nulled, but that was for the public relations department to figured out.

Gravel crunched behind her as a bus drove up in front of the building. They had only twenty pairs to work with, and in reality none were guaranteed to work. Mako knew which ones were promising, and she was ready to rearrange others to suitable pairs.

The candidates disembarked the bus and collected their luggage, grouping up again in front of her. “Welcome to the Jaeger Academy. My name is Mako Mori, one of the pilots of Gipsy Danger. I will also be one of the trainers for your class.” She glanced over the group, feeling satisfied that they were all giving her their attention. Stacker had taught her to be wary of those who would look down on her because such things as gender or race. “If you follow me, we’ll bring your luggage inside and take a quick tour.”

The tour was simple. She showed them around, giving them memorable pathways to navigate by and a brief explanation of the rooms, rules, and areas. It was a silent affair, broken by only a few questions here and there, and the whispered comments between those who knew each other. Afterwards, the group dispersed, taking their room assignments and moving in. They would have free time until later.

Mako didn't get a break though. She checked that everyone was getting settled in, and if there were any immediate concerns they had. Then she returned to her own room, finishing paperwork and making sure the schedules that were being set up would actually work. She touched based with different program members and departments, making sure that everyone would be ready when they began training tomorrow.

And she may have snuck in a moment with Raleigh, but she would also remind him that he had his own work to do.

Finally it was supper time, and she actually did get a break. Workers, candidates and instructors all ate in the same room in a similar set up to those of the Shatterdomes. The recruits wandered in, grabbing their food before sitting down at unclaimed tables. Mako could already see the formation of smaller groups, mostly based on age at the moment. Some recruits were coming into years that some might consider too old for the program. A large portion were in their late twenties and early thirties. A small group was in their early twenties. Catherine and Riley stood out with their young age, and though they did sit with the twenty-somethings they were obviously their own separate entity.

Mako glanced to her left at Raleigh, not bothering to turn her body since they were already fairly close together. "You were a teenager when you joined the program. What do you think of the current group?"

"I don't know... I know that they were picked because of experience but this is more about who simply can drift together and those who can't."

Mako scoffed, but she was smiling. "You know it's more than that."

"Well, yeah."

Herc slid into the seats across from them, and Raleigh nodded towards him, "What do you think of the new group?"

"I think we haven't see them yet."

Raleigh smirked, "I mean like their ages and stuff. Not as much variety as when I started."

"When you started this program was still viewed as a shot in the dark. Believe it or not we're _respectable_ now after taking down the breach. Countries sent the safe choices."

"Not a bad thing though." Mako had spoken up again, but part of her attention was elsewhere as she watched the recruits.

Raleigh followed her line of sight, but didn't bother to keep it. "And we've got our wild cards coming in later anyways."

Herc seemed to groan, rubbing his temples. "God that better be worth it. This group's probably going to throw a fit when we tell them. Hell, I still could. We're gonna have a hard time rebuilding the program as is, and they're actually throwing in freakin' _demigods_? I haven't even seen any if the proof yet that this is completely real.

"Maybe you just need a little faith Herc."

Herc rolled his eyes at Raleigh. "The only thing I have faith in is my own two hands, and maybe some of you guys around here. Like Mako- she's trustworthy. You though, you're my new pain in the ass." The older man was smiling, even if there was a glint of sadness in his eyes.

The conversation continued, and the hummed of the room grew in volume as people became acquainted with one another. It came down again, as people began to finish eating and left. Most went to their rooms, but recruits went to a meeting room instead. Mako and Raleigh followed behind Herc as they entered the room.

The recruits were up and about in their groups from dinner, but found their seats as their instructors entered. Herc nodded to them.

"My name's Herc Hansen, and I am your Marshall for the Jaeger Program. To start, I want to thank you all for coming, and attempting the program. You all know you are not guaranteed a spot, but you all have a chance. Rangers do need experience, and they need to push themselves to the extremes of their abilities, but most importantly, they need compatibility with their partner. That will be the final test of this program."

Herc paused; he had the undivided attention of the room.

"Thankfully, we managed to close the breach. We've bought time. We haven't won. I hope every day I'm wrong, but the odds are we will see a second breach open, and the god damn bastards from the other side are going to hit us harder than ever before. That's why we're here and that's why you're here. The world as a whole now has to prepare for what's coming."

Now came the tricky part, and Herc resisted the urge to sigh. "And world has definitely taken notice. A group has reached out to the Pan Pacific Defence Corps, and the United Nations has given them approval to contribute and support the Jaeger program. This has yet to be discussed with you until now, but unfortunately I must have you all sign additional confidentiality forms before we begin your training."

Someone spoke up. "And our governments and militaries agree with this? I still am a soldier of my country, I still follow their orders." Many looked disgruntled and annoyed as Mako and Raleigh passed out forms.

"Like I said the UN has sanctioned this. You have until tomorrow to get these forms in. If not, I'm afraid you will be asked to leave the program. These are the orders the PPDC has given out. It should give you time to get in touch with whoever you need to if you want to check with your superiors. Until then, good night. You're all dismissed."

Chairs creaked as people left the room. Chatter was rampant, and papers rustled as many began to read through them. Two stayed seated though, and Mako approached the two sisters. Riley looked up at her wide-eyed, and Mako gave her a reassuring smile. "I'm sure this paperwork is a little intimidating for you two."  

Riley nodded, "Are we really okay to sign this?"

"The UN supports this, and as part of the Pan Pacific Defence Corps you do work under their jurisdiction." 

"And we're the only two without any other real responsibilities right? I mean, every other single person here's military. We're just high school kids." Mako couldn't help but notice how Catherine's grip tightened on her papers as she spoke.

Raleigh came to stand beside Mako. "Hey, that doesn't mean anything. I dropped out of high school to join the program and I'm a pilot. Like Herc said, the most important thing we're looking for is compatibility. That can be found in anyone. When I started, you guys would've fit in pretty well for who was signing up."

The two girls were silent for a moment, looking at each other and then their papers and back to their sister's face again. Catherine nodded, and Riley reached for a box of pens sitting on the table. They began to read, taking time to whisper to each other about different points of the contract. Eventually, they turned to Mako to check with her that everywhere that they signed and initialed had been correct. Mako smiled as she took the papers from the two girls.

"Thanks girls."

The two sisters jumped and turned to face Herc. He was still at the front of the table; they hadn't realized he had yet to leave the room. "The group that's coming, from what I've heard, will mostly be around your age. That means I'm going to have to ask something of you. I need you guys to be an example. I have no idea what kind of discipline they will have, and from what I've heard, you two are exceptional team players. I need you two to help bring this group into the program."

"You want us to be friends with them?"

"No, I'm not gonna expect that of you. If you want to, it'll be by your own choice. I want you to be the goal they need to achieve."

Catherine and Riley looked between each other once again, making faces that only they could really understand. Riley was the one to speak this time, with Catherine nodding her agreement. "We'll try our best sir."

Herc smiled at them as he stood. "That's all I can ask for. Now I don't know about you guys, but I'm ready to go relax a bit after today."

Mako and Ralegh couldn't help but smirk also as Catherine and Riley left the room.

 

*******

 

"Anyone got forms for me?" 

Raleigh's voice seemed to boom in the silent meeting room. Thankfully, they managed to collect signed forms from every candidate, even if some were handed over quite begrudgingly. Riley and Catherine handed their forms in with everyone else, so that they wouldn't stand out.

"Thanks. Ah, Herc here is going to tell you about the second group now."

Needless to say, the room exploded when they learned that the second groups claimed to be demigods- claimed to be supported by _actual gods_. It took awhile for things to become somewhat settled again. The recruits once again left the meeting room unhappy, and Herc was feeling the beginning of a headache.

The next morning, it seemed to be a repeat of the other as Mako Mori stood outside waiting for the next group to arrive. It was comical in a way, that the buses they arrived in were just so plain and normal.

Mako stood with her back straight and her head held high as a dark haired girl stepped out of one bus and a blonde one from the other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are demigods next chapter! Please let me know if you spot any mistakes and feedback is always welcomed!


	3. Chapter 2

For a moment, Annabeth wondered what the Roman bus was like. She imagined, with their higher value of order and discipline, that it was a little more enjoyable than her current experience. 

Because there's only so much of Clarisse's yelling one can take before they want to shut her up.

The daughter of Ares was at the back of the bus, and Annabeth was at least thankful for that distance between them. From the sound of it, she was currently heckling a daughter of Nemesis named Cordelia over gods know what. Annabeth didn't really care. She just wanted the chance to read through the Jaeger schematics and information they had been given _in peace_.

Peace was something far gone, especially when a demigod named Victor stepped in and told Clarisse to lay off.

"Oh what are you going to do about it little Vic Vic? Don't tell me I need to kick your ass too."

It was kind of unfortunate that Victor was named Victor. As a son of Nike his name literally meant winner son of victory, so Vic Vic had become the Ares' cabin's way of reminding him of the redundancy.

Mockery had somehow become the universal stress release for children of Ares. But that was a problem started long ago, and not something Annabeth was going to tackle.

Annabeth knew Clarisse was high strung. The Ares counselor viewed it as her responsibility to make sure everyone at camp was as battle ready as they could be. That responsibility seemed to haunt the girl after the casualties they faced during the Titan and Giant Wars. And now they were going to be preparing for another, very different kind of war. Before they had left, a demigod who had not been selected to come to the program, Clovis, had told Annabeth that Clarisse was lacking a large amount of sleep. Annabeth was a strategist though, not a psychiatrist. She could plan for Clarisse being a loose cannon, but she didn't actually know how to actually help Clarisse.

That was a problem for another date though, as the bus quieted as it began to slow down.

Annabeth and Percy had taken the front seat of the bus. She pushed her boyfriend's head off of her shoulder, and he shifted to rest his head on the window instead. The blonde rolled her eyes, and hoped someone would wake him up when they got off.

She took a breath before disembarking. This was something she knew the camp as a whole didn't want to do. They were all tired and weary, and were hoping for some semblance of a normal life. Everything that was going to happen after today was going to assure that didn't happen. Officially, this was the first step of the Olympians' world merging with the mortals' one.

She stepped out into the sunlight, and looked to her right to see Renya doing the same. The two girls nodded at each other before marching forward towards the Asian woman who appeared to be waiting to meet them. Quietly, the others began to exit the buses and gather their belongings.

"Welcome to the Jaegar Academy. My name is Mako Mori and I will be one of your instructors."

Renya reached out and gave Mako a handshake. "My name is Renya Ramírez-Arellano and I am a praetor of Camp Jupiter."

Annabeth did the same. "And I'm Annabeth Chase, the Athena cabin counselor from Camp Half-Blood. One of the camp directors will also becoming later, he just had some business to finish up."

Mako nodded. "Are there any questions you have before I take you to your the building?"

Renya spoke, her voice firm even though she was asking a question. "You have been informed that we've been given clearance for weapons?" There was no way the demigods were giving up their weapons, for some it would be like giving up an arm.

Whatever feelings Mako had on the matter didn't show in her face or body language, it was completely impassive. "Yes. We expect you to handle them responsibly and expect no incidents involving them."

The two gave their agreement, and Mako took the demigods on the same tour as the others. The schedules had been arranged so the two groups wouldn't meet each other yet; they wanted that to happen in a more controlled environment.

Annabeth simply observed as they toured. She took in the layout and design, the architect in her approving if the modern look and its functionality. Percy just held her hand as they walked, and didn't say anything even though Annabeth had the feeling he was getting antsy. Surprisingly the whole group was quiet. It was a little intimidating though, being stuck in a situation where they were answering to mortals. _Mortal military_ , for that matter.

Really though, a couple of them had reasons to be nervous. There were some quite odd and unexplained records among their pasts, like Percy's.

The Greeks were most likely to cause problems, Annabeth and Renya, as the two de facto leaders for the moment, had agreed on that. They were used to working in small groups, where the leadership roles were mostly momentary. They thrived on that freedom and room for adaptability. It didn't mean they couldn't follow orders, but that those in charge had to prove themselves as a leader.

But they were also a bitter group of teenagers- it had gone unspoken that they weren’t going to tell stuff like that to others just yet.

 

*******

 

Mako Mori was unsure what to think of the demigods, and she had told Herc and Raleigh just that. 

They were in the combat room, looking over the first group of recruits. Most were going through the motions of whatever style of hand-to-hand combat their military had taught them, while the Americans, a mother and son pair, were taking the time to teach the LaFontaines basic motions. Eventually, all recruits would be taught and expected to know a base set of skills, but to start they just wanted to see what people already knew.

It had been decided that this would be the best time to introduce them to the demigods. Herc and Raleigh had yet to meet them, but Mako had been trusted in her decision that they could mix them with the other recruits safely. Those with military pasts came with files stating their combat knowledge, and they already knew the LaFontaines had none. In reality, they knew nothing about what the demigods could do. That is what they planned on finding out today.

Herc called for everyone to stop their practicing. “We’re going to bring in the other recruits in; they arrived this morning. Now, we’re also going to have them give an example of their skill sets. You are all invited to stay for the whole session. You all have a general idea of what your group can do based on similarities between your backgrounds, I believe you also have a right to have an idea about the demigods.”

Silence was the only reply Herc got, but he wasn’t expecting much else.

Nodding, he looked to a trainer standing by the doors. “Let them in.”

One of the first things Herc noticed was how they automatically seemed to split into two groups. From what he did know of them, he figured that was based on if they were Greek or Roman.

“Welcome to the Jaeger Academy. I’m Marshall Hercules Hansen, the head of this program.”

One of them snorted, a lithe girl with obvious height. “Of course it’s the Roman way.”

A blonde standing at the front of one of the groups turned around to glare and hiss "Cordelia" at the girl as Herc spoke, “Is there a problem?”

The one who had opened her mouth, Cordelia, cleared her throat. “Sorry... sir. You could say it’s a bit of a bad habit of ours to argue over what’s Greek and what’s Roman.” Both groups seemed to mumble an agreement.

“Well, let’s see you guys keep my name out of it, alright?” The girl nodded sheepishly.

"Now, I want your group to give us examples of your capabilities. The floor is yours, weapons are allowed."  

For a moment, the demigods whispered among themselves, until the two girls whom Mako had noted as their leaders, Renya Ramírez-Arellanoand Annabeth Chase, came forward. A different girl, this one a sturdily built brunette, called out, "Maybe you two should go hand-to-hand. I can think of two boys who are going to want to give the first weapons show."

"Hey! They might as well see the best swordsmanship we have to offer."

Renya spoke up this time. "Oh, you mean Nico's here?"

They all roared with laughter, and the group seemed to loosen up collectively.

Renya and Annabeth stepped out onto the mats. They stared at each other, quite different from the little showboating Raleigh and Mako had done before their first match. It was slight, but Renya made the first move, and from that point on they were a flurry of movement. The two seemed evenly matched as they attacked and countered each other, and Herc wasn't sure what to think about the experience their moves screamed.

"They could beat some of the others." Mako watched the two, impressed.

"Their benefactors said most were involved in two wars?" Raleigh glanced over to the regular recruits. All of them were watching the spar.

"Or at least one of their wars. Only one of them was not involved in either."

Herc scoffed. "Do we know why they sent that one then?"

Mako shrugged, "My guess is as a test, a chance to prove himself."

The girls called it a draw, and two boys stepped forward. Mako gave them their names again, "Perseus Jackson and Jason Grace." Jason unsheathed the sword at his hip, but Percy just pulled a pen out of his pocket. The three Jaeger pilots were quite surprised when that pen turned into a sword. Raleigh shook his head, "That's ridiculous."

The room rang with the sounds of their two swords clanging together. The speed that the boys fought with was amazing, and it was mesmerizing to watch. The demigods heckled and cheered, while the humans whispered among themselves.

Herc didn't realize what was going on at first. Jason deflected a slash from Percy by using his free hand, and the dark hair boy flinched, and his left arm dropped to his side. Fighting with one arm forced him to go on the defensive. What was most confusing though was when Annabeth dropped the water bottle she had been drinking and let it spill out on the floor. She spoke with a warning tone, "You two better keep it between yourselves or you're never leaving the kitchens when we get back."

The water suddenly shot forward and wrapped itself around Percy's left arm and he gained use of it again. Crackling filled the air, and the boys attacked with renewed vigour now that they could go full out. People in the room jumped when the first miniature lightning bolt shot out at Percy, but he had a shell of water floating around himself to direct to the mats.

Raleigh was stunned. "So, demigods."

Herc shook his head. "Mako, who are their parents again?"

"For Perseus, Poseidon, and for Jason, Jupiter."

"Right."

Jason forced Percy to roll, and the water didn't follow him fast enough. When Percy stood up a bolt caught him in the chest and set him flying towards the demigods. He stopped mid air though and flopped to the floor. A slight barrier shimmered around the training mat.

Annabeth sighed, "Thanks Morgan."

"Any time."

"Daughter of Hecate," Mako informed her partner and boss.

Percy coughed, catching his breath. He reached out his arm and Jason's feet slipped in the water.

They continued to fight, and it ended when Percy disarmed Jason. Jason's sword was sent flying through the air. Suddenly, it changed directions and flung itself into the outreached hand of a dark skinned girl. The boys clapped each other on the back and rejoined their friends. Jason collected his sword.

The demigods quickly began to chatter again as they tried to decide who would go next, but Annabeth stepped forward again. "Did they give you a full list of our abilities?"

Mako shook her head, "We were just told you had powers based on your parents."

"Sounds about right for how much information they usually like to give." Annabeth grumbled. She addressed the whole room, switching her gaze between the instructors and the other mortals. "Some of our powers are more obvious, like a son of Poseidon being able to control water. Children of the war gods are natural fighters. Some are less obvious, like Piper, a daughter of Aphrodite, being very... persuasive.

"Just because children may come from the same parent does not mean they have the same powers. Hazel here," she pointed to the girl who had caught the sword, "is a daughter of Pluto, but she takes after his side as the god of wealth, like with how she can manipulate metals. Her brother is the one who specializes in the underworld side with his powers."

"So you're saying one of you, what? Controls the dead?" The mortals rumbled, showing obvious apprehension at that thought.

Annabeth's face became defensive. "Actually, he's not here. Lord Hades requires him in the Underworld."

Raleigh mumbled under his breath, "Maybe it's a good thing he didn't come along."

"Also," Annabeth's strong tone brought attention back to her, "some of us just have abilities outside of what is expected of us. Hazel can manipulate the Mist, a form of magic. And Frank," she turned to him, apologetic, "sorry, but I need to ask you to give a demo. We should put everything on the table."

"I understand." The Chinese boy was massive with a serious face, and he was obviously uncomfortable with this. "I'm Frank Zhang, a son of Mars and a legacy of Poseidon, praetor of the Twelfth Legion of Rome."

Even if people didn't understand the rank, they could understand the importance from the pride in his tone. No one really had the chance to think on that though, as where Frank was standing now stood a freaking _bear_.

The bear pawed at the ground, before becoming cat. The cat jumped, and mid air became an eagle. The raptor flew a circle around the demigods before landing among them and once again become Frank Zhang.

Annabeth smirked. "Any questions?"

The room erupted.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you spot any mistakes please let me know!


	4. Chapter 3

Catherine LaFontaine rubbed her eyes.

It was a very human response. One that showed weariness or frustration, maybe even boredom in some cases.

With her, she was simply at a loss what to do.

Riley and her were in over their heads. They were the youngest applicants out of the regular people, and couldn't compare to the so called demigods. Some of whom were _younger_ than her and her sister.

Demigods who'd proven their heritage very dramatically.

Riley was curled up in her bed, sleeping quietly. Her face for now was blank, but every once in awhile it would crunch up with worry and even a little fear as she mumbled in her sleep. Catherine was surprised she hadn’t yelled out yet. That was Riley's sleeping habit, yelling and talking during it.

Catherine- she just stayed up way too late.

She sighed, music streaming through her headphones. She kept switching between instrumentals and metal, unsure if she needed the extra energy to tire herself out or if she just needed to calm herself down.

She didn't know how they were going to compete. This wasn't a sport. She couldn't go online and find practice drills, they couldn't go to a gym on the weekend and put in that extra time. This was possibly (she hoped not) life and death. Everyone else here had experience. These people could disarm someone in five seconds. They could break bones with only their bodies if they really wanted to. They'd see combat. They had been _trained_.

And not only that, they had age and the knowledge that comes with it on their side. When she had heard the demigods were her age, there'd been a glimmer of hope. Others with maybe as little experience as her and her sister.

But they were utterly battle-hardened. Catherine figured some of them could kill faster than some of the soldiers. And with their gifts? They were something her and Riley could never compare to.

She remembered what Herc had asked of them. _"I need you guys to be an example."_ What kind of example could they be? One of inexperience?

He'd called them team players, but that only came to its true strength when you knew where you sat on the team. Right now, they were the benchwarmers; that was plainly evident from the start. But that wasn't enough to tell you where you _fit_ on a team.

Back at their high school, on what ever team they were playing on, any team related gossip always funneled to either her or Riley. And then they'd share it between themselves, of course. That was part of their role. They used that gossip to ease tension, to stabilize the team. Giving a little here and taking a little there could put worries to rest when it was all done correctly. They had the team's trust.

They had nothing like that here. They had the endearment of some- two young girls playing grown-up, how adorable. They had the annoyance of others- two young girls where they didn't belong, a hindrance. And the demigods? Their eyes had just flittered over them, faces lost amongst a crowd.

She looked at the clock and groaned. It was late, and they had to get up early in the morning. Tomorrow would not be a good day. At breakfast, who knows what they would do. Everyone seemed to be falling into cliques. At supper, the demigods had kept to themselves, the recruits had split up in age and language groups, and the lab techs and other workers present were keeping their space for now. One might say it was all so high school but it was worse. No one floated between the tables.

Her and Riley could sit by themselves, but that was probably one of the worst habits they had from childhood. They used to stick pretty hard to isolating themselves in awkward social situations.

The building creaked. It might not have been heard further inside, but the LaFontaines had been fortunate and had gotten a room with a window. There was a strong wind outside, but that was something Catherine could take comfort in. She was born and raised Albertan; the wind was nothing new to her. Memories of her childhood often had the wind in their background, carrying a ball in the air in the wrong direction, throwing her hair back in her face, or even just whistling through their old house. The wind was something she knew.

How the daylight hours worked, that was odd. Not something she couldn't get used to though. Catherine wondered if they'd been given a window because they were one of the groups from the farthest north. Theoretically, they should have an easier time adjusting to the Alaskan springtime daylight hours than some of the others.

She should have been finishing her grade 12 school year anyways right now. Her sleeping schedule had already been shot since her and her sister had been selected right after AP exams.

Her mind kept wandering further and further off track. She should have been sleeping. She switched playlists, hoping soft piano music would be able to carry her to sleep.

 

*******

 

Thankfully, the music had done its job, and the next morning Riley smirked as Catherine threatened to destroy their alarm clock. The brunette, a slightly darker shade than her own, slammed down on the snooze button before curling back up underneath the sheets.

Riley got up though. Her feet barely made any noise as she moved about the room, gathering clothes before she headed to their floor's communal shower. She nodded and smiled greetings to those already in there, giving the biggest smile to Andrea, one of the American candidates. Already the 42 year old woman had taken the two girls underneath her wings, her strong motherly instinct showing.

She had had her son young, fresh out of high school at 18. She had still managed to create a name for herself as a soldier, and her son had shown promise that he could easily follow suit. They had presented a good, healthy relationship yesterday, and both her and Catherine agreed that Andrea was someone to respect.

There was still hot water and Riley felt herself fully awake as soon as it hit her head. She went through her routine, hassling her sister when she heard her grumbling as she entered the room. The elder LaFontaine had always had troubles with the morning.

Andrea had made it to the mess hall before them, and Riley felt relief as the older woman motioned them to her table. Her son Daniel sat with her, along with some other recruits. They both had matching black hair, though Andrea's skin was darker than her son's. There was no mistaking that they were both Hispanic.

The sisters sat down, both of them immediately eyeing the new addition to the room. There was a circular container now resting on the floor, and it seemed to be welded together from scrap metal.  A fire was lit inside of it. Riley took a couple seconds to blink. "The fire's green."

Daniel shook his head. "Yep, no one knows why, and no one's bothering to ask _them_."

The word was pronounced with weight, encompassing the underlying feelings that everyone held but no one could describe. It was a mix of curiosity, annoyance, for some it contained loathing, others forced indifference. It also carried the present but ignored fear that everyone held in at least some slight form. This was the unknown, the more aptly put unbelieved, that no one wanted to deal with.

Even if Riley couldn't describe it, she still understood how others felt. Catherine was utterly distracted, staring at the flames. "You think it's like what we do at the lake?"

Riley swallowed. "What?"

"You know, the copper tubing with the garden hose. Though we never get that pure of a green. And you'd need a lot to get the whole fire like that."

Andrea's confusion was evident on her face. "What are you talking about?"

Catherine began to explain, unfortunately with a mouth full of food. Riley rolled her eyes and smacked her sister. "Swallow."

"Right sorry. So you ever seen like packets at camping stores and stuff that's powder you throw into the fire to change the colour of the flame?" Catherine had the attention of the whole table now, which also held six other recruits, two pairs from South America and one from Europe. They shook their heads for a "no". "Ah, well that's a thing you can buy."

"Anyways, you can use a homemade solution to do the same thing, and it's better in a way cause you get multiple uses from it. You just take a piece of copper tubing and put plastic garden hose inside of it." She gestured towards the fire. "Thing is, the tubing doesn't change the whole fire like that, just around where it's burning. There's always some orange still showing through. Well, maybe if you had a big enough piece it'd do the whole thing but shit's expensive."

Riley kicked her sister underneath the table.

Catherine just smiled. "Copper gives you blue tones too though. That stuff over there is too pure green for it. I'm not sure if powder can give you a fire like that since I've never used it."

"It's Greek fire, actually."

The whole table jumped. No one had noticed the demigod who had quietly drifted towards them. Riley wasn't sure how he had managed to do that, because the first thing she noticed was his hands fidgeting against the tray he was holding. The next thing was his grin. It was one she knew could piss her off even more than the one Catherine gave her after winning an argument.

He still had it on his face as he spoke. "Sorry, just heard you going on about it. Dang girl, your mind might move as fast as an Athena kid's."

Catherine scowled at him. "Greek fire?"

"Very volatile, hard to put out, perfect for what we need it for since no one's gonna offer to watch the hearth all day. That be _boring_." He drew the word out, even adding a tilt to his head as he said it. "And I currently don't have the time to make an automated system for it. So, gotta go with Greek fire."

The table began to whisper, someone asking if it was safe. Catherine was still holding the demigod's attention though. "What's the fireplace for?"

The boy shuffled his feet; Riley wondered if he was getting uncomfortable with how Catherine was giving him a stare down. Her sister had a bad habit of taking an almost glare on her face when dealing with people she didn't know, especially when the situation was awkward.

"We Greeks, we burn food as offerings to the gods before we eat our main meals."

Catherine shrugged, turning back to her food. "Oh, okay then."

Riley resisted the urge to laugh. It was easy though, after years of practice watching her sister deal with people. She did grin, giving her sister an eye roll that had the other smirking in return.

They could kill each other on bad days, but always backed each other up when someone else messed with them.

Unless of course there was no back up needed, then the other just laughed from the sidelines.

The demigod was still just standing there, caught off guard and unsure what to do now that he had been so easily dismissed. He was saved as one of his friends called out "Leo!", giving him cause to quickly turn and head towards their table.

Riley's table all quietly began to laugh underneath their breath, if apprehensively. Catherine didn't seem to notice. Her sister was zoned out, either over thinking still or not thinking at all.

Riley smirked as she started a new conversation with Andrea and Daniel. "Now, can you imagine growing up with her?" She jerked her head to the still out-of-this-world Catherine.

That started a new round of laughter and led to easy conversation that carried them all through breakfast.

Their meal time came to an end. The LaFontaines sticked to Andrea and Daniel, and they left as a group to their morning meeting. The room had been reconfigured since the last time they had been in it. Space had been sacrificed to make room for more tables and chairs, and it was still full with the new additions to the recruits. The divide between demigod and mortal was still evident.

Herc, Raleigh, and Mako took their places at the front of the room, joined by Tendo Choi and other heads from the engineering and technologies divisions. For once, Riley tried to sit straight in her seat, and it looked like Catherine was trying to do the same. The soldiers in the room were keeping good postures. The demigods had a mish-mash between ramrod straight to extreme slouching.

It took a couple seconds for the demigods to simmer down. With some quick whispering that Riley was sure was a couple threats they all shut up. They really were an odd group.

The meeting began with technicalities. Introductions of the staff with them, announcements and other mundane management details. After a little bit, they finally came to the main reason why it was called.

"This program is being treated as if we don't have the luxury of time." The Marshall's face was stern, but didn't give away much emotion. "Because of that, you will within the next couple days beginning drifting with your partners. We need to see if you will actually work as pairs or not, and will practice so that when your Jaegers are built you are ready to utilize them.

"And coming to the Jaegers. Once we've established definite pairs we are going to begin construction on them, and well, their creation should move faster than any of the Jaegers made before them. Leo, I was told you would be best to explain this."

Riley's eyes narrowed as they followed the demigod on his path to the front of the room. "Leo Valdez, son of Hephaestus, head counselor of cabin 9.”

The teenager was smirking big time. “I am one of your engineers for the Jaegers. All demigod Jaeger designs will come to me, since I need to approve them to meet the standards of your parents. Ya know, Zeus wants lightning bolts for his kids, Poseidon wants water motifs, all that good stuff. I will also be giving opinions and guidance on mortal Jaegers also since cyclopes will be assisting on the construction of any Jaegers. We’re also conducting experiments to see how non-mortal metals like Celestial Bronze and Imperial Gold affect Kaiju remains. If they actually can cut them, they will be used in construction.”

“And he meets qualifications for this?” was an exasperated shout from the back of the room.

“And did he say _cyclopes_?” was another.

He seemed to falter under the scrutiny for a moment, and and forced a smile onto his face, as he began to converse directly with a couple different people in the room.

Riley’s eye widened. They were sitting close to the front, close enough that she noticed his hands started _smoking_.

Leo was practically arguing with the room now, stating his unique qualifications,and with Percy’s help defending that the cyclopes weren’t bad people once you got to know them. All the while, the demigod's smoking problem continued, and Riley couldn’t believe that she was actually seeing someone with smoke coming out of their ears.

A dark hair girl, who Riley thought was called Renya, slammed a fist on to the table and stood up. “Enough.” She glared at Leo first, “I swear to the gods Valdez if you combust right now I’ll personally take the time to whip some better control into you.”

“Hey! When was the last time you had a bunch of mortals yelling at you and questioning your abilities? I’m from _cabin 9_ for gods sakes!”

Renya elected to ignore him, turning to face the whole table. “Greek cyclopes are proven allies. Leo is the head of the Hephaestus cabin, the god of the forge. He was the head of construction of the _Argos II_ , which as engineer he managed to maintain with limited supplies through wartime. If there are truly problems here, the can be brought forth through proper channels, instead of you all shouting at once.”

“I have to agree with Renya.” Herc returned to the front of the table, as he had taken a seat after giving Leo the floor. “Leo was appointed this position by the PPDC themselves. You can make a proper complaint if you wish, but for the moment, he is one of our engineers. Is there anything else you wish to say Leo?”

Valdez had stopped smoking, but still looked disgruntled before grinning once again. “Like I said, I am a engineer. At the moment though, I’m not going to be a large part of the construction; I’m mostly going to be working on design. Only the demigods’ Jaegers, if that’s how you all want it. Even then the engineers making the mortals’ Jaegers still might come to me, based so more on the fact that I know what the cyclopes are capable of doing.”

The demigod managed to look like a devil incarnate as he sent on last jab back at those who’d challenged him. “Basically, I'm your flaming Jaeger manager from planet Vulcan.”

Catherine scoffed beside Riley. “Little shit.”

  



	5. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For part of this chapter I needed a background Roman demigod character. Problem is, I wrote that part awhile ago and can't remember if I made up a name or pulled one from the books, which I currently don't have with me at the moment. So, basically, if it was a name from the books and he was a supporter or Octavian in BoO I do need to change the name, so if you remember anything please let me know!

 Over the next week each pair went through their first Drift.

This stage, simply put, was crucial. It was their first look at these pairs not as soldiers, but as Jaeger pilots. It was a telling experience, different for everyone in countless ways. Not every pair was guaranteed to work.

So, eliminations began.

Some simple didn't have the right compatibility. Something about their thought patterns or reasoning with decision making wouldn't resonate with the mind of their partner. With recruits like those, Mako took them and rearranged them. It would be her job to find working pairs, and some recruits may eventually have to leave for others to be brought it. It was a task that required organization, some intuition, and a little bit of luck.

It could be compared to a game, though Mako never would allow herself to think of it as such. Instead, she would call it a challenge.

One person was simply eliminated by their own choice. The Drift was an intimacy they did not want to experience, something they decided that they couldn't give to any person again and again. That recruit said their thank yous, gracious for the opportunity but not overly saddened to leave.

Mako saw them off personally, and began to search for a new partner for the partner that recruit had left behind.

For her, the first Drifts of the trainees marked the start of her shuffling. For the trainees themselves, it was simply a time of unforgettable experiences.

 

*******

 

Leo and Conner knew the moment they connected that they didn't match.

They figured they had a shot. Rachel selected them both to come, told them they were needed, that they had a part. When they had first seen the group though, they knew they were each an odd man out.

Travis had Katie, and their new relationship was something Conner did not want to get in between. He held some disappointment. His twin had been his partner in crime for all of his life, but Katie Gardner did something he couldn't. She balanced Travis, reigning in and controlling the sheer energy the son of Hermes had.

If you asked anyone at camp, Katie wore the pants in the relationship, and that was never going to change.

So it wasn't a surprise when Travis and Katie came out smiling from their first Drift, hands intertwined and bodies leaning into each other. And it wasn't much of a surprise when Leo and Conner came out, shrugging and indifferent to hide the slight disappointment within them.

Leo and Conner were friends. Gods know after the Giant War the whole camp knew fear when they realized the friendship that had grown between Leo and the Stoll twins. It foreshadowed trouble; it foreshadowed _pranks_.

Many joked that a Roman would imploded from being in the sheer presence of the three from their combined deviousness.

Leo didn't think he would have a partner from those who had been selected to come, even from his friends. In his mind his partner was still back at camp; he couldn't understand why Rachel would send him but leave Calypso behind. They were in an odd phase with their relationship, caught between best friends and something more, but one thing they did know was they had a connection, a likeness between them.

It was there in their hobbies. The need to create, to keep their hands moving. Their want to be _useful,_ whether that was through their own selves or their creations and gifts.

It was with Calypso that Leo saw his Jaeger partner. Two minds that would work together to plan and plot, maybe not the big finisher, not the one going for the kill shot, but they would have been the ones running interference or decoy.

For now though, Leo, and Conner, were partnerless. They would have to step to the side and wait.

They wanted to be Jaeger pilots, but they knew it wouldn't be with each other.

 

*******

 

Renya wanted to sigh.

She exited the simulator, shaking Derek's hand and reassuring him before leaving him to his own devices. They had the rest of their day off, now that they had decided that they weren't a working pair.

Derek was the centurion of his cohort. He was respected among the Romans, faithful to the legion and to Renya's leadership.

That subservience was, she decided, not what she was looking for in a Jaeger partner.

Her partner needed to be able to challenge her. She needed a mind that would have as much presence in the Drift as her own. For a long time Renya had been a leader- the sole leader for her camp to depend on. The moment Jason had been selected for Juno's scheme he had lost his sway, even if he had technically retained his position. She had been the praetor of Camp Jupiter, the only praetor.

That was not what she was looking for in the Drift. She did not want a leader and follower relationship with her partner. She wanted to be working together with someone, equally. She needed someone who would challenge her to be better.

People passed her in the hallways; she paid them no mind. The training rooms came into view, and in one of the rarest occurrences the sparring room was empty. She sent out thanks subconsciously, to whomever was listening. A demigod spent their time believing that coincidence may somehow still be part of the universe, and at the same time believing that every little thing was influenced. Sending out thanks to even just the air was a habit they didn't realize they all had in some way.

Renya changed quickly, grabbing a water bottle and heading out to the mats. She was planning on running herself ragged with practice to clear her mind, but first, for warm up she started with yoga.

She took a deep breath when entering her first pose, hoping to forget what she had seen of Derek in the Drift. There was no reason to remember it, since they wouldn't be Drifting again.

Forgetting seemed the respectable thing to do.

 

*******

 

 

It had been a very long time since the last time Andrea had held Daniel's hand.

It reminded of her when he was younger, when they both were younger. When she and her own mother had struggled together to support him, to give him the best life he could have.

Andrea didn't spend a lot of time with Daniel when he was young, she didn't have the chance; his grandmother was instead influential in his life. Daniel now understood though, completely, why that necessarily wasn't a bad thing.

It may have seemed like the army had stolen a lot of his mother away from him, but it was also that career that gave him the woman he knew today. Military life had given Andrea a discipline she had lacked, had matured her into the matriarch she was now.

Time is what the military had taken most from his childhood, but that was something they could make up.

Andrea now knew the grievances of her son. There were things that pained her, faults that she had to shoulder. She wished Daniel had had a good father figure growing up, but that was one thing she had never been able to provide for him. She now knew how part of him would always long for that experience, but was now hesitant to accept one if such a person ever did come along. It was an odd limbo he was trapped in.

Daniel now knew the struggles of his mother. His stomach had turned as he realized the shame and fear she had faced in that last year of high school. Her pregnancy had come forth at the end of her grade 12 year, and even though she had graduated with good marks, she still couldn't avoid the scorn and sense of failure that others around her had pushed on her. For awhile, she had felt helpless, stuck in a no-win situation. She had carried her son, but wouldn't have faced a better situation if she had aborted.

The Drift was giving them the chance to truly emphasize with each other. It showed them their differences, but also showed them how they were alike, the proof that went beyond genetics that they were mother and son. Mannerisms Daniel had learned from Andrea, a quiet determination that ran through both of them. Memories that was shared between them, both large and small, cherished for the same and different reasons.

Andrea and Daniel both smiled as the exited the training simulator. They held hands like the mother and child they were as they journeyed back to their shared room. They sat down facing each other, truly letting the emotions and memories brought forth by the Drift come to the surface.

They both cried, together, as they remember the woman who had raised them both.

 

*******

 

Jason and Piper came out holding hands, but their body language was opposite to each other.

Jason's eyes kept glancing about. He was thrumming with nervous energy in a way that only a son of Jupiter could. Piper was calm, and rubbing circles with her thumb into Jason's hand.

Piper had complete faith in their relationship, even if Jason was embarrassed about the old doubts and confusion she had seen in his mind. They were old, and that was the word she would always use to describe them. They had worked past that all, even if Jason couldn't believe in it so utterly, completely like she did.

One didn't have to be a child of Aphrodite to know that they worked.

Jason would want to talk about this later though, take reassurance in their communication. She understood that. She didn't mind it at all. Piper wanted Jason to be open and truthful to her.

And maintaining communication in their relationship would be important. The Drift... She didn't want it to become a replacement for conversation. She liked talking with Jason, liked when they stole quiet moments together to just enjoy each other.  

Also, she didn't think mind-melding could replace the satisfaction one gets when explaining to someone why you're upset with some well worded rants.

Jason still hadn't said anything; Piper resisted the urge to sigh. She turned her head towards him, giving a large smile before pecking him on the cheek.

His worrying was cute. They would be fine.

 

*******

 

The Drift, in reality, went perfectly fine for Hazel and Frank. Since it was there first time, they always expected hiccups, but they worked through it together and were completely compatible.

That didn’t stop them for shooting straight to Frank and Leo’s room afterwards.

Thankfully, their friend wasn’t there. Hazel gathered Frank into her arms and the curled together on top of his bed. He was shivering, his eyes downcast and mouth pressed into a hard line, head resting against his girlfriend’s chest. Frank held onto Hazel tightly, being reassured by her warmth and the feeling of her beating heart right next to his ear. For now they didn’t speak, the only sound been Frank’s hard breathing as he tried to calm himself down.

He never wanted to see the Fields of Asphodel again. It had been different from the time he had seen Hazel's memory of Nico leading her out. This time he experienced it in their entirety; he could understand the slow drag of time as one wandered its vast expanse. The utter sense of being alone when you're the only one who remembered what it was like to actually be alive.

That was the existence Hazel had chosen to save her mother.

Frank repositioned his arms to allow for better circulation. Hazel didn't say anything. She had her arms wrapped around his neck. Their legs were tangled together, and they fell asleep to each other's quiet breathing.

 

*******

 

Those groups all came out quiet, some content, some even happy. Catherine and Riley exploded before they were even out of the simulator’s rigging.

Techs turned down the communications volumes as the girls began to scream at each other. It happened so fast  Herc wasn’t even sure where the conversation had started, but apparently both girls had some very strong opinions of the other.

Many in the room began to whisper. Raleigh had come to see their test, and worry was written over his face. This was a group he really wanted to see succeed. His frown grew as the girls continued to go at it.

The video feed showed them both with clenched fists, facing each other and not backing down. Their conversation was bouncing around- from parents, to school, to extended family and friends, using those topics to make comments about the other. They were shouting and ranting, but at the same time Herc began to let his own worry ebb. The sisters were still going at it strong, but that’s not what he was paying attention to.

There was a flow to it all. Their conversation was confusing to all monitoring them, but the two sisters had no problem keeping up with each other. They were even cutting the other off, already knowing where the topic was going and using that to throw it back in the other’s face.

It finally began to whine down with Catherine. “Well I’m the oldest so I’m supposed to protect you!”

“You’re older by a god damn year!”

“Still older you little shit!”

“Well, bullshit you need to protect me! That doesn’t have to be your job!”

“Well who else is going to do it?”

That led to a pause. Riley mouthed something, and Catherine only shrugged in reply, eyes watering. Catherine sighed, taking a deep breath. “Now let’s get out of this fucking rigging so I can hug you.”

The control room was still full of whispers, but Herc didn’t say anything. He didn’t think Mako would be reorganizing those two just yet.

And man, could those two girls ever  _swear._

 

*******

 

Of course though, none of those pairs had been the first to Drift. To be fair, the order had been chosen by random selection. There is a pair of demigods that always seemed to draw the short straw.

Annabeth clenched and flexed her hand, inspecting the body suit. It was a bland simulator suit, unmarked and a dull grey. Percy stood beside her, rolling his shoulders back as he got used to his suit. “Ready for this Wise Girl?”

She snorted, “Who doesn’t want to be the first demigod pair to Drift?”

Percy was hurt by that; she could read it in his face. Annabeth sighed. “We all carry so much personal baggage. None of us have the opportune minds for the job.”

Percy gave her a small smile. “Good thing demigods are paired with demigods then.” He squeezed her around the waist. “Let’s do this; we got this.”

The two steeled themselves as they entered the simulator.

There were techs waiting inside for them, showing them how to properly hook themselves in. The techs quietly exited, one giving them a thumbs up before leaving.

A few more checks, a few more questions, and then they were ready to go. A countdown started, and then suddenly, they were connected.

It was a rush of emotions, thoughts, _memories_. And both of them did everything to not chase the rabbit. Annabeth and Percy jolted in the rigging at the same time. Their connection wavered, as they almost threw each other off course.

It was Annabeth who came through for them. She surprise the techs and other workers  monitoring them as she audibly growled, forcing back the memories from Tartarus they had both accidentally brought forward. She helped Percy overcome panic, as he had delved into one her memories and not his own. Being blind was a frightening experience.

There was chatter in her ear but she ignored it. She pushed back that memory, instead bring forth thoughts she had about her redesign of Olympus. It go the effect she wanted. Percy was immediately bored as she began to think about all of the calculations she had already done and the ones she still needs to do. They evened back out, both smiling as the room came back into focus for them.  

“I swear you jinxed us.”

Annabeth scoffed. “ _Really?_ That was far better than I was expecting.”

Herc’s voice crackled over the coms. “You know Annabeth, that’s not exactly reassuring.”

The blonde laughed. “You’re dealing with demigods. When does anything ever go right for us?”

“Does the Hermes shrine in Tartarus count as something going right?” Percy quipped.

“Nah, that was almost too ridiculous to count.”

There was a sigh over the coms. “Are you all going to be like this?”

Both of them shrugged at the same time. “Probably.”  

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Annnnd can I say also holy crap the series is over. Ahhh BoO was overall fairly good. I posted some  
> [general thoughts](http://direwolveshowl.tumblr.com/post/99470319399/blood-of-olympus-thoughts) though at my tumblr.


End file.
